Rheims extensive limestone wastes occurred at the at the beginning of the last century. About 1807 a movement was started to reforest these wastes. Little was accomplished, however until about 1830 when reforestation began on a large scale. Just before the war began over 200,000 acres of this waste land had been stocked with trees, mostly Scotch pine. The outstanding feature of this remarkable accomplishment is the commendable fact that most of this vast area was not restored to a condition of superpristine productivity by the state or nation, but by numerous self sacrificing owners of small holdings. Year after year the small woodlot owners upon clearing their land, again prepared it-often by spading or ploughing --for another forest crop, fully realizing that they would never live to harvest it. The new crops, as a rule, were established by planting small seedlings furnished by local foresters at a very reasonable price, usually the cost of production. It is the cherished hope of the friends of Pennsylvania forestry that the private forest tree planting propaganda recently inaugurated will be productive of results equal to those of France and Belgium, but it is also their sincere prayer that the resulting stands may never be visited by the destructive agencies of conflicting armies. That the line of endeavor along which these private owners were progressing was commendable and producing results is, shown by the phenomenal rise of land prices. The very areas which sold for $4 per acre before afforestation began were selling for $75 to $125 per acre just prior to the war. The sad part of this narrative is the regrettable fact that these numerous areas of forest land upon which so much private effort and money had been spent were either destroyed or damaged heavily during the battle of the Marne. Areas of forest devastation and destruction do not occur in local spots, but are distributed throughout northern France and all of Belgium. The great size of the contending armies, the severe, frequent and often prolonged battles, and the almost stationary position of the battle line causes one to conclude that the damage is so great that an overestimate would be difficult. One may be able to comprehend in part the existing conditions in northern France from an announcement in the bulletin of the Southern Pine Association of January, 17, 1916, which states that "Bids are being asked for 52,000,000 feet of southern yellow pine by the French Government, presumably for the erection of 10,000 houses which it has planned to build in northern France following the war."

Forest conditions along the eastern front in eastern Prussia, western Russia and Galicia stand in strong contrast with those found along the

western front. The forests are larger in size, cover a much greater percentage of the total land area, and are composed almost entirely of evergreen species which comprise from 85 to 90 per cent of the stands, while along the western front not more than 20 per cent were evergreens. The forest structure is also much simpler, in fact, so simple and uniform over vast areas that it becomes monotonous, especially to an American, who is accustomed to find from 50 to 100 species of tree in one locality. Scotch pine and Norway spruce are the only common and important species. The former occurs in extensive pure stands on the sandy plains and in rolling country. It is at its optimum in the Baltic provinces of Prussia and the Riga district of Russia where it attains a large size, possesses straight and clean trunks, has uniform growth rings, and produces much pitch. The Norway spruce increases in abundance as one goes northward or ascends the mountains. Beyond Riga the White Birch becomes a distinctive feature of the forest, however, not on account of its abundance but rather due to its conspicuous white bark. Forests in which it in rather common, are often called "white forests' in contradistinction to the "black forests" of evergreens.

The damage, and destruction along the eastern front has extended over an enormous territory due to the great length and the continuously changing position of the battle line. As a rule the degree of destruction has not been so complete nor the extent of damage so great in any one locality as along the western front, but a much greater area has been covered by the almost continuously retreating and advancing armies. The total amount of wood already used, damaged, and destroyed must be enormous. The loss, while large in amount, will however probably not be felt so keenly as in Belgium and northern France, where a much larger percentage of the forests were privately owned. Furthermore, a greater percentage of the total land area along the eastern front was still wooded, thus making wood a less expensive commodity on account of the larger supply still available.

The loss is not limited to the immediate vicinity of the forested regions but extends even to foreign lands. Russia was a great wood exporting country before the war. About 60 per cent of the export wood left through Baltic ports. Riga, the objective point of one of the German armies, in the environs of which much fighting has recently taken place, led all other Baltic ports in the exportation of wood. Through this port alone about 18,500,ooo,oco cubic feet of wood, mostly Scotch pine, left annually for foreign countries, principally

Great Britain. Since shipping ceased, both woodproducing and wood-consuming industries have become paralyzed, and as a result many homes, before adequately supplied with wood and wooden commodities, are now in dire want of this indispensable product. J. S. ILLICK.

(To be continued.)

The Silvicultural Consideration of Forest Conditions in Pennsylvania.

IN

N the article "Silviculture for Pennsylvania," which appeared in the April issue of FOREST LEAVES, the conclusion was reached that there is needed a carefully formulated silvicultural policy for future forestry work in this State. The questions are at once raised: What should this policy be? and, What basis is there on which it can be formulated? Such questions can be answered only in a general sense. A policy laid out for a whole state, with its many State Forests which differ climatically and in many other respects, cannot hope to deal specifically with each forest. It can trace only the outlines of the larger divisions of the state and indicate the broader regulations, all of which must be subject to modification on the individual forest. A considerable basis for such a policy exists in data, gathered from many sources, dealing with conditions in both the primeval and the present stands.

As far as forestal consideration of the State is concerned, we need to examine at the present time only two physiographic divisions. Practically all state owned land is in these two divisions. The larger and more varied of the two is commonly known as the Alleghany Plateau Region. It embraces a larger proportion of the northern and western parts of the State and contains many State Forests as well as thousands of acres which will ultimately become state land if the best interests of the Commonwealth are considered. The forest flora of this upland belongs to the type-group of Northern Hardwoods, or beech-birch-maple. It was originally covered by a hardwood forest in which white pine and hemlock were present in varying proportions, according to soil and moisture conditions. The hemlock was heavier on northern slopes and in the valleys. White pine and pitch pine were more common on the southern and drier aspects. On the better soils of the plateau proper, the hardwoods and white pine were heavier. In places there was an extension of the hardwoods of the more southern regions.

The stations from which the records were secured are all located in valleys. There is no record given on the plateau proper. The valleys suffer more from frosts than the more elevated portions. The mean temperature of the growing season, June to September inclusive, is 67° F. This is probably too long a season for much of the region. the Asaph nursery killing frosts have been noted in June and August. The extension of the southern hardwoods into the plateau may indicate higher temperatures for some of the more elevated parts.

At

The soils of the plateau and the upper slopes are derived from the rocks of the carboniferous and sub-carboniferous. Some of the region has been subject to glacial action. The soils vary greatly in depth and fertility within short distanSome land is owned that may ultimately be classed as agricultural. A good deal of it could be classed as grazing land at the present time.

ces.

All of this land has been lumbered from two to four times, and has been burned repeatedly. The cover at present ranges from isolated second growth of some value to sumach and berry bushes. Much of the larger proportion is covered with valueless scrubby coppice, ferns, bird cherry, and poplar. There are occasional stands of pitch pine. Riding from DuBois north on the B., R. & P. R. R. or from Salamanca south to Williamsport on the P. R. R., or from Ansonia west on the B. & S. R. R., the traveller sees such a growth for hours. It is one of the most impressive lessons in human improvidence. The once busy villages have rotted into oblivion, except where a stray vein of coal maintains a polyglot population.

The most unfortunate feature presented by this vast "Area of Desolation" is its present economic situation. In the midst of an industrial State, it is comparatively uninhabited. The hunter may travel fifty miles in a direct line without finding a human habitation. The railroads are less frequently found than they were twenty-five years ago when the timber was being cut. Only the low grades of the Susquehanna leading to the north and west attract the railroad. Consequently the forest of the future will present a problem of transportation which will be far more difficult than is usually associated with the idea of an industrial State. This will adversely affect the price of stumpage. A market for thinnings will be lacking for many years, perhaps a full rotation. There are few wagon roads, no local industries, no workThis country must be developed anew in every way.

men.

The silvicultural policy is comparatively simple. The only possibility is artificial regeneration on a A good natural stand cannot be ex

vast scale.